Monday, June 22, 2015

Eating BIG in Nashville Pt. 2

Eating like a local:Regional food specialties- More Southern Eats and Drink in the Music City

Took a ride down to Nashville this past Memorial Day weekend and had a
good time. This was my second trip and I will admit that the atmospheres
of each trip were very different, the first one being a
bachelor party and this most recent one being a trip with the lady.
Still the same as far as activities go but aside from a quick stroll
down Broadway one afternoon and then a quick drink at a live music venue
the next night, we stayed away from the drunken festivities. Nashville
is the the bachelorette capitol of the country or at least it seems that
way once you get there. There's also tons of construction going on in
the building of apartments and hotels. Some people compare it to Austin
but other than the live music and fast urban development similarities I
never really felt it. I want to go back to Austin but I don't need to go
back to Nashville. Unfortunately we didn't get in until Friday
afternoon and because Monday was Memorial Day, Arnold's was closed when
we pulled up. Major buzzkill yo. I was looking forward to a return visit but it just wasn't meant to be. Check Part One HERE.

First
stop was going to have to be the hugely popular Hattie B's. I've heard
about it on here and elsewhere and she was told by a work colleague that
it was a must and we're both fans of fried chicken so we rolled over
upon arrival. Line was out the door but it was a Friday and seeing as
how there was only a few people outside we figured this might be the
shortest it got that weekend.
Speaking for me and me only, the best hot chicken I've had remains that from Rocky's.
Hattie's was a bit of letdown. The wait wasn't worth it and
the service came with I don't give a sh!t attitude. By no means was the
final product bad but it just didn't have that oomph that places like
Rocky's and some other spots I tried this trip did. If this was my first
introduction into hot chicken I might be a little bit more enthusiastic
about it but I just didn't think it was all that it's been cracked up
to be. Definitely social media driven. Good but not great and the sides
were the same way. Still, don't stay away, decide for yourself, maybe it
was an off day.

Getting
right into the question most readers are asking "what was better than
Hattie B's" we head over to a random food court that houses a few
generic chain restaurants like Quizno's and J. Gumbo's. So looking in
from the outside it doesn't seem like there's a damn thing worth your
time until you step inside and spy a stand sporting Hot Chicken on it's
menu. I heard good things about 400 Degrees and it's owner and neither
disappointed. Owner Aqui Hines works most of the magic with the help of
another employee in their small space with just two fryers so make sure
to order ahead if you're in a hurry. If not you can enjoy the company of
Nashville's Hot Chicken Queen.

The Frying Station

As
followers of his thread know, when it comes to hot chicken mild is hot
and hot is hell. I like heat but I don't want it to hurt anymore than a
few seconds afterward nor to takeover the entire flavor profile of a
dish. This versions spicing was perfect. The heat may have lasted 10-15
seconds but much like Rocky's I found the flavors to be finger licking
good. They do a double spicing technique that includes both the
seasoning of the bird before frying and the dipping of it into hot sauce
once it comes out of the fryer. The sauce glues itself to the crust and
forms magic. The reason I know I liked this one the most was because I
wanted it again the next day but unfortunately they're closed on
Sunday's.

This
little walk-up shack with a few tables is another locals favorite I
wanted to check out. Known for their hot chicken and a signature dish
called the 'Royale with Cheese' which is deep fried grilled cheese
topped with three hot chicken tenders. I was tempted by the sandwich but
a bird with bones will always win out. And win it did. Another
excellent option with heavy hits of cumin coming after the heat. I
thought it was good enough for second place on this trip.

Last
place finisher of the four was this spot hiding in a strip mall located
in a residential area away from the other spots. I guess they have or
had a foodstand because I originally went to the address for that
location but the lot was empty. The inside of the restaurant would be
empty when I stopped in though they were just closing as I was the last
customer of the day. The wings were just ok, a little bit greasy and not
as crispy as they could have been. They were touting this homemade
drink mixing mango juice with sweet tea and it was pretty damn good but
must of been filled with sugar.

We
took a walk around an area with lots of buildings going up and came
across a stretch where there were quite a few new school bars and
restaurants. The outdoor patio and bar at Saint Anejo were packed so we
stopped in for a drink which also turned into a bite to eat. I couldn't
resist the hot chicken tacos which made for great fusion food. The warm
fluffy tortillas were made on site and the crispy hot chicken inside of
them was cooked just right. I also enjoyed my Mezcal Old Fashioned and
the friendly service of a nice lady from the Quad Cities region.

Good
food options on Broadway aren't all that abundant but theres a new
place at the end of it called Acme Feed & Seed and they've got some
love for bringing the street some food you don't have to be hammered to
enjoy. The guy behind it is a well known restauranteur in the area and
is making his mark with this spacy three story restaurant with a huge
music stage on the first floor and a large deck on top. The hot chicken
sandwich was excellent. Butter toasted white bread paired with a crispy
and tender hot chicken breast and plenty of pickles. If you have to eat
on Broadway street and don't want a fried bologna sandwich I'd head
here. It's not life changing but it is comforting.

Party Fowl
- We stopped in here for a drink and I had already put down a couple
orders of hot chicken so I just didn't have it in me to try theirs but a
snack of boudin balls were good. Drinks sounded just ok but most places
were that way so I stuck with beer half the time. I'm becoming a
cocktail snob. Haha.

This
relatively new Germantown restaurant provided our best overall
experience as far as everything goes. Drinks, food, and the
service, were all wonderful. We sat at one of the bars and chatted it up
with one of the guys behind it. This was a late nite stop for some
cocktails that turned into a pizza eating session as well. The Belly Ham
pizza was one of the best wood fired pies I've ate. They even cut it in
squares, not that it needed to be. I'd for sure go back here if I ever
make it back into town.

This
diner is an institution that's been feeding Nashville's late night
hunger going on 25 years. Its just off Broadway and very popular with
the late night crowd as they open for breakfast and lunch on normal
diner hours than close and reopen again at 10pm. Foodwise its about what
you'd expect. Good greasy stuff to soak up the booze. The burger was
fine but the fried bologna sandwich was better.

I
liked the looks of this place and really liked what I saw on
their site so it was in the books. We stopped in Sunday morning during
brunch hours but they have this weird thing where theres a different
menu for the outside area. So we just sat at the main bar. The place is
located in what seems to be an old warehouse district so the size of the
space is huge. They got a coffee shop, a bar, a bowling alley, tons of
tables as well as lounge areas and the aforementioned outdoor patios.
Both the food and drinks did not disappoint. I really liked the
breakfast tacos made with bacon and green chile stew with pork and
thought the drinks were good enough to go back to if they were in
Chicago, a city loaded with worthy options. The service and overall
attitude of the bartenders was also excellent.

Taking
a quick break from Southern Eats we went to this popular bistro
sporting a modern Lebanese menu. Located in a very nice part of the city
it's lined up with all sorts of other little bars, restaurants and
boutique shops. The lunch menu sported a variety of sandwiches and we
tried the 'Samak' which was a fresh grilled fish filet and also the
'Makanik' which was made with spiced ground sirloin sausage mixed with a
pomegranate molasses. I'm usually not a big fan of most fruit mixed
meat but this was an addictive sandwich. The fish was also pleasant and
both came with a side of salad and cilantro roasted potatoes. Good spot.

Nashville Farmers Market
- I must say the Farmers Market was below average at best, they just
switched to growers only but the best thing going was the peaches from
the popular Georgia Peach Truck. Maybe it's all downhill when you're a
frequent summertime shopper at the Dane County Farmers Market because
I've been to the supposedly good ones in farm friendly cities like
Austin, Asheville, San Francisco and none have matched Madison.

I
should mention a few things about the drinks, it's one of the main
reasons people visit the town. If you want more than a Budweiser in a
plastic cup you don't have to look to far. The best Happy Hour as far as
beer goes can be found at The Sutler Saloon. It's
everyday and drafts are just $2.50 and they have all the good local
micro-brewed stuff for you to choose from. They got cocktails too. I
liked the beers I was trying around town from Jackalope Brewing enough
to visit the brewery for a cold one, it's right next door to Party Fowl.
Nice 1-2 punch.

Jackalope Brewing Company

This
time around I much preferred the drinks at Patterson House to Holland
House, the former being one of the better bars in the country. We also
went to the popular cocktail bar called Bar No. 308 and
enjoyed it although it was packed and the bartenders were stressed
because of it. Embers Ski Lodge was recently opened and it's supposed to
be a Northwest style cocktail bar that focuses on Asian eats. We didn't
eat but the cocktails on the patio were pretty good but nothing to get
extremely excited about. Then again we all have the type of drinks we
like so it's best to see for yourself.

I stopped into Craft Brewed Bottle Shop and Tasting Room
to buy some six packs to take home and came across this food truck
slanging smoked chicken wings outside. It was a welcome break from the
hot chicken. Perfect with an ice cold beer.

Dino's
touts itself as "Nashville's Oldest Dive Bar" and I can verify the dive
bar part. Located next door to Bar No. 308 I was intrigued by the sign
and then when I saw the interior and the flattop grill sitting right
there I knew where I was eating before we headed back to the hotel.
They're loved for their cheap ice cold beer, delicious burgers and also
some live music. It's a dump in every sense of the definition but the
hipsters made those cool so it's all good in the hood. That said the
hipsters know a good burger because this one was every bit as good as
any I've had of late. It was simple, but it was fresh beef cooked until
just juicy and it hit really the spot right then and there.

We
wanted to stop into here on Sunday but the line was too long to wait it
out. Expect one should you go because we went back Monday before
leaving town and there was still a line. However there is a first come
first serve policy at the bar and we went on in and waited for all of 1
minute before two seats became available. I'd be doing the guy behind
the bar from Alabama a favor by not calling him out. Apparently he
thought it was still 1942 or something and while not saying anything
directly he made it clear he didn't want us there. Nice as could be to
the everyone else sitting there but nothing except one word here or
there to us. However the rest of the house was pleasant and he was
tipped accordingly. It took quite a bit of restraint to keep my mouth
shut.

Bonuts Deep Fried Biscuit Dough filled with Blueberry Compote

The
bonuts were good but I wasn't ecstatic over them, then again I'm not a
big morning sweets guy. But I thought they'd be both a little hotter and
also softer. I got the Biscuits with Country Ham and Sausage Gravy and
it was satisfying although I'm not sure I'd say the same if I waited an
hour for it.

Had
to do a dinner at Husk as thats the spot she wanted to try, and I
certainly wasn't opposed. Good thing because otherwise I would've missed
out on an excellent meal and maybe my two favorite bites of this trip,
along with the hot chicken from 400 Degrees anyway. The patio was an
option and it was beautiful outside so we rolled with that. The
cocktails here were almost as good as the food, as was the service.I;d heard mixed reviews before going in, but we were off to a good start.

Country Ham Sliders

I
don't have to say anything about the sliders featuring Cheerwine Glazed
Belly Ham, Pickled Onion, Cucumber, Smoked Duke's Mayo, and a House
Fried Rind on a Homemade Parker House Roll except that you cant get much
more Southern than that. I've never been to Charleston but the shrimp
and grits here were so good we had to order another round, fitting since
Husk has a location there. The waiter explained the grits are made by
some local guy and they're the best in the business. When mixed with
mushrooms, a runny egg and whatever other magic they put into this dish
it was an item that just might make into my 'best of' list at years end.
See ya next time.